Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Police nab speeding bikie boss Derek Wainohu

OFF THE WIRE
Mark Morri From: The Daily Telegraph August 18, 2010 12:00AM

HELLS Angels president Derek Wainohu had his wings clipped after police caught him doing more than 150km/h while driving with four mates on a major highway.
The bikie boss was immediately stripped of his licence, fined $1865 and banned from driving for six months.

Police clocked the 52-year-old doing 152km/h in a 100 km/h zone as he drove a V8 Holden on the M4 last week.

Wainohu was detected on August 8 at Eastern Creek by a Highway Patrol car attached to Strike Force Raptor, set up to combat outlaw motorcycle gang activity after the fatal brawl at Sydney Airport last year.

A police spokesman said last night the RTA had been informed of his suspension and there was no indication if Wainohu had appealed the fine.

Wainohu is leading the legal fight against laws to have some bikie gangs declared illegal. The "anti-bikie" laws were rushed through Parliament last year after the alleged bashing and stabbing murder of Hells Angels associate Anthony Zervas.

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The new laws mean club members can be ordered not to associate with each other under "control orders" - and face being jailed if they defy them.

Last month, police using the new legislation applied to have the Hells Angels declared a criminal organisation. Soon after, Wainohu filed a High Court writ challenging the validity of the new laws.

The move has forced a delay in the police application for at least eight weeks while the High Court challenge is dealt with.

In its first year, Strike force Raptor arrested 724 gang members, laid a total of 1552 charges, seized more than $1 million in cash and executed 81 search warrants.

Police also seized 174 guns, 3700 rounds of ammunition, 13 explosive devices, five Tasers, 87 knives and a large quantity of drugs.